Having recently bought a GPS unit – apparently all that remains is a GOOD POI list (points of interest). ALL of the GPS units I test drove had shortcomings with this and one of them I did not test drive even feeds the owner a steady stream of commercials based on what is nearby. UGH!

My Navigon (now “gone” from the American market) does pretty good with the POI. The GPS enthusiasts are improving those lists with POIs they are creating and sharing.

I wanted to stop and offer them a D cell battery as a gesture of good will but I consider myself a good person and rubbing their noses in it would not be right.

I never saw a Prius on the side of the road.

menno: “They could have swallowed their pride, kept NUMMI, begged and paid real money to Toyota for a Hybrid Synergy drive license – just as Nissan did – and turn out something with the assistance of Toyota.”

Yeah, switching NUMMI over to Prius production with a Chevy version (Volt II?) built alongside in the same manner as the old Corolla/Nova/Prizm, then Matrix/Vibe, seemed like a no-brainer, to me.

Hell, a case could be made for GM getting a license to rebody and sell their own version of the G2 Prius.

There isn’t enough market for both vehicles to survive.

I don’t think either will survive.

GM should cede the hybrid market to others, and stick with a better chance at profitability.

findude has the product mix right.

Ridonculous.

They could have swallowed their pride, kept NUMMI, begged and paid real money to Toyota for a Hybrid Synergy drive license – just as Nissan did – and turn out something with the assistance of Toyota.

They seem to forget that the tables were turned the other way around 60 years ago, and Lincoln, Hudson, Nash, Kaiser, Frazer, etc. all had to go to GM with begging bowl and buy Hydramatic automatic transmissions.

Chevy Cruze? Maybe?
Chevy Malibu.
G8 nee Chevy Caprice.
Chevy Equinox looks to be pretty good coming up.
Tahoe, of course.
Okay, Colorado is an abortion.
Silverado is as good as they get.
Corvette.

By your template Chevy’s lineup over the next couple of years looks like it’s going to be pretty decent. It sort of depends on how the Cruze turns out, and whether they really do offer the G8 as a Chevy. Even with the better lineup, though, Chevy’s (GM’s, really) image isn’t all that hot, and they need something to shift public perception a little. Hybrids are all the rage, and seem to be a great way to get a little green cred, even if you have some gas guzzlers in your stable (see Toyota). If GM develops a hybrid like the Prius, and then offers the (non smoke and mirror version) Volt for sale at Chevy dealerships, if nothing else it could raise public perception. I think we’ll all agree that right now GM’s image needs all the help it can get.

It also uses the non direct-injected Ecotec 2.4 – simply using the DI engine in the ‘bu could probably net another 2MPG all around, as it’s EPA rating is stellar in the 300lb heavier Equinox.

–3 trim levels for each vehicle
–suspension/handling options across all trim levels
–two engine/drivetrain configurations for each vehicle (one economy oriented, one performance oriented)

Not sure there’s a need for an enviro-halo car here or not.

Exactly. New GM indeed. Don’t worry, I’m sure this will change another 3/6/8 times over the next couple of years.

John